More Employers Check Social Networking Sites

Nick Reddin has been with Manpower since 2001, working in multiple states including California and Illinois. He has over 12 years of experience in the employment services industry; the majority of his background is in working with Fortune 500 companies to achieve their workflow goals. Nick specializes in change management and driving operational efficiencies. He is an expert on the changing world of work and consults with many companies in helping them prepare for coming changes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Forty-five percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates, up from 22% when asked last year, according to a survey released today by CareerBuilder.com.

Of employers who use social networking sites to find candidates or do background checks, 29% use Facebook, 26% use LinkedIn, 21% use MySpace, 11% search blogs and 7% use Twitter.

The top industries for employers that use social networking sites to screen candidates are information technology (63%) and professional and business services (53%), according to the survey.

Content that caused employers to not hire candidates included posting of provocative or inappropriate photographs, content about a candidate drinking or taking drugs, bad-mouthing of a previous employer, poor communication skills and making discriminatory comments.

However, some content encouraged employers to hire a candidate. This included profiles that provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality and fit, supported professional qualifications, showed the candidate was creative and showed solid communication skills.

The survey included 2,667 hiring managers and human resource professionals in the U.S.